Breaking Rules While Breaking Ground - Arlan Hamilton

TL;DR

Arlen Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital, shares her atypical Silicon Valley story and discusses her mission to invest in underrepresented founders in the tech industry.

Transcript

can we get another round of applause for this woman thank you yeah please shout out whoever you want made it work made it work to be here amen so this is the first time I'm interviewing you so I'm very excited we've had conversations on the side but I've read all the fancy magazine profiles as I'm sure many people in this audience have I've listene... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 Arlen Hamilton's journey demonstrates that breaking rules and staying true to oneself can lead to success in the tech industry.
• 🖤 Lack of access and resources for underrepresented founders is a significant issue that needs to be addressed.
• 🔬 Arlen's approach to investing focuses on the potential of underestimated founders and the impact they can make.
• 🧑‍💻 The tech industry needs to allocate a greater percentage of funding to underrepresented founders to create meaningful change.
• 😌 Backstage Capital's success lies not only in financial returns but also in the support and opportunities given to underrepresented founders.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Arlen Hamilton find her way into the tech industry?

Arlen was inspired by celebrities investing in Silicon Valley companies and realized she could be part of it too. Although she lacked access and resources, she found her way and started investing in Texas tech companies.

Q: What was Arlen Hamilton's first investment and how did she get it?

Arlen's first check came from angel investor Susan Kimberlin. It took months of education and explanation about her vision and venture capital for Susan to understand and support her.

Q: What is Arlen Hamilton's strategy for choosing which founders to invest in?

At the early stages, Arlen looks for founders who are underestimated, have grit, and are hungry to succeed. She values domain expertise and a willingness to learn and teach. Rather than focusing on paper credentials, she seeks founders who are determined to prove themselves.

Q: How does Arlen Hamilton respond to criticism that she is only helping some people for the sake of diversity?

Arlen believes that most investors in her fund have three different motivations, including doing the right thing, curiosity about her work, and recognizing that underrepresented founders have the potential for exceptional returns. She aims to invest in the founders who are underestimated and will work hard to succeed.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Arlen Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital, built her own space in the tech industry as a gay black woman with no college degree, no network, and no money.

• She discovered the tech industry through celebrities investing in Silicon Valley companies, realizing that she too could be part of this world.

• Facing challenges and lack of access, Arlen successfully raised funding and has since invested millions of dollars in underrepresented founders.